WHO PARTNERED WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH TO BUILD STRONGER EMERGENCY RESPONSE SKILLS FOR DISTRICT MEDICAL OFFICIALS AROUND LESOTHO.

 The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) held a five-day workshop aimed at strengthening the capacity of District Medical Officers (DMOs) to respond effectively to health emergencies.

The workshop brought together DMOs, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition and the Disaster Management Authority (DMA).

Speaking on the side-lines of the workshop, Leribe District Medical Officer and AVoHC-Surge Responder under case management, Dr .Pusetso Topo, said the training aimed to strengthen community engagement and ensure that public health emergency responses were culturally appropriate.

Dr. Topo said the workshop also focused on coordination among stakeholders, particularly clarifying their respective roles and responsibilities during emergencies.

He said clearly defined responsibilities would enable stakeholders to respond more effectively, as each would understand the areas falling under their jurisdiction.

Dr. Topo said the training equipped DMOs with skills to ensure that they were ready for deployment whenever emergencies occur.

One of the participants, Mrs. ’Matumello Kali Mokuku, said strengthening capacity at district level was important as it enabled emergency responders to detect and respond to health threats on time.

Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, she said the lack of coordination among relevant stakeholders at that time limited rapid responders’ ability to gather and disseminate accurate information to communities promptly.

She said the current training had established clearer coordination among stakeholders and promoted shared responsibility in emergency response.

Seven districts have so far received the training, with the final batch scheduled for August 24 to 28 comprising participants from Qacha’s Nek, Mafeteng and Thaba-Tseka.

Source: Lesotho News Agency [LENA]